DIN EN ISO 15213-2:2024-05

Clostridium (C.) perfringens is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium. As a ubiquitous bacterium, C. perfringens is predominantly found in soil, but also in the intestinal tract of humans and animals. Therefore, the presence of C. perfringens in high numbers can be an indication of inadequate preparation or handling of food. High numbers of C. perfringens in ready-to-eat-food can cause human illness, mainly diarrhoea. The strains are classified into toxin types, depending on the ability to produce different so called "major" and "minor" toxins. Food poisonings are caused by C. perfringens isolates with the ability to produce C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE). This document describes the horizontal method for the enumeration of C. perfringens in food, feed, environmental samples and samples from the primary production stage. Working Group NA 057-01-06-02 AK "Sporenbildende Bakterien" ("Spore-forming bacteria") at DIN Standards Committee Food and Agricultural Products (NAL) is responsible for this document.